This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from the prior Japanese Patent Application No. 11-052336, filed Mar. 1, 1999, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
The present invention relates to an image communication terminal, image communication system, and mobile station.
An image communication terminal is manufactured as a terminal capable of communicating not only voice data but also image data. When a terminal user responds to a call and requests an image stored in a server, image data transmitted from the server is reproduced on a display.
For example, if the terminal user is away from the terminal, or even near the terminal, he/she cannot respond to a call during meeting, the transmitted image cannot be received and reproduced. Additionally, if transmission is disabled, the transmitting side must call again.
Especially, the image communication terminal does not have a function that meets a request for allowing an information receiver to watch image data not at real time but later at his/her convenient time.
As described above, the conventional image communication terminal has no function of storing transmitted image data unless the terminal user responds to the call, resulting in inconvenience for the receiving-side user. Additionally, if transmission is disabled, the transmitting side must call again. Furthermore, the image communication terminal cannot meet a request on the transmitting side, i.e., a request for allowing the information receiving side to watch image data later at a convenient time.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an image communication terminal which allows a terminal user who cannot respond to a call to confirm transmitted image data later, an image communication system for realizing the image communication terminal, and a mobile station having this function.
In order to achieve the above object, according to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image communication terminal comprising:
reception means for receiving a paging signal and image data associated with the paging signal;
setting means for setting a predetermined mode to store the image data received by the reception means;
storage means for storing data; and
control means for storing the received image data in the storage means when the predetermined mode is set by the setting means.
According to the second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a terminal according to first aspect, further comprising detection means for detecting a communication mode included in the received paging signal,
wherein the control means stores the received image data in the storage means in accordance with a method corresponding to the detected communication mode.
According to the third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a terminal according to first aspect, wherein the control means stores voice data corresponding to the received image data in the storage means.
According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided terminal according to second aspect, wherein the control means stores voice data corresponding to the received image data in the storage means.
According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a terminal according to third aspect, wherein the control means stores, in the storage means, the received image data and the voice data in a multiplexed state.
According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a terminal according to fourth aspect, wherein the control means stores, in the storage means, the received image data and the voice data in a multiplexed state.
According to the seventh aspect of the present invention, there is provided a terminal according to fourth aspect, further comprising demultiplexing means for demultiplexing the received image data and the voice data, and detecting means for detecting timing data representing a temporal relationship between the demultiplexed image data and voice data,
wherein the control means stores, in the storage means, the demultiplexed image data, voice data, and the detected timing data.
According to the eighth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a terminal according to third aspect, further comprising demultiplexing means for demultiplexing the received image data and the voice data, and detecting means for detecting timing data representing a temporal relationship between the demultiplexed image data and voice data,
wherein the control means stores, in the storage means, the demultiplexed image data, voice data, and the detected timing data.
According to the ninth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a terminal according to seventh aspect, wherein the demultiplexed image data and voice data are encoded.
According to the 10th aspect of the present invention, there is provided a terminal according to 7th aspect,
further comprising means for decoding the demultiplexed image data and the voice data,
wherein the control means stores the decoded demultiplexed image data and the voice data in the storage means.
According to the 11th aspect of the present invention, there is provided a terminal according to 8th aspect, wherein the demultiplexed image data and voice data are encoded.
According to the 12th aspect of the present invention, there is provided a terminal according to 8th aspect,
further comprising means for decoding the demultiplexed image data and the voice data,
wherein the control means stores the decoded demultiplexed image data and the voice data in the storing means.
According to the 13th aspect of the present invention, there is provided a terminal according to second aspect, wherein the detection means detects a compression method of the received image data based on the detected communication mode, and
the control means decodes the received image data based on the detected compression method.
According to the 14th aspect of the present invention, there is provided a terminal according to first aspect, further comprising
determination means for determining whether a data amount of the received image data associated with the paging signal is larger than a remaining capacity of the storage means, and
request means for requesting a center for storing image data to store the image data associated with the paging signal when the determination means determines that the data amount of the image data is larger than the remaining capacity of the storage means.
According to the 15th aspect of the present invention, there is provided a terminal according to first aspect, further comprising
telephone directory storage means for storing telephone numbers and response image corresponding to each of the telephone numbers,
extraction means for extracting a telephone number of a calling party from the received paging signal, and
transmission means for transmitting one of the stored response images corresponding to the extracted telephone number.
According to the 16th aspect of the present invention, there is provided a terminal according to first aspect, further comprising
determination means for determining whether the image data associated with the paging signal is a still image or a moving image based on the received paging signal based on the received paging signal, and
transmission means for transmitting a response image based on the determined type of image data associated with the paging signal.
According to the 17th aspect of the present invention, there is provided a mobile station comprising:
reception means for receiving a paging signal and image data associated with the paging signal;
setting means for setting a predetermined mode to store the image data received by the reception means;
storage means for storing data; and
control means for storing the received image data in the storage means when the predetermined mode is set by the setting means.
According to the 18th aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image communication system comprising:
a mobile station; and
a center for storing data,
wherein the mobile station comprises
reception means for receiving a paging signal and image data associated with the paging signal,
setting means for setting a predetermined mode to store the image data received by the reception means;
storage means for storing data,
determination means for determining whether a data amount of the received image data is larger than a remaining capacity of the storage means, and
request means for requesting the center for storing image data to store the received image data when the determination means determines that the data amount of the image data is larger than the remaining capacity of the storage means, and
the center comprises
storage means for, when the request means requests to store the image data associated with the paging signal, storing the received image data.
According to the 19th aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image communication system comprising:
an image station;
a mobile station;
a control station for controlling the system; and
a center for storing data,
wherein the control station comprises means for receiving a first request from the mobile station for storing an image data output from the image station, and means for outputting a second request from the image station for storing the image data output in the center to the center when the control station receives a call origination signal transmitted from the image station, and
the center comprises means for receiving the second request from the image station for storing the image data output in the center from the control station, and means for storing the image data transmitted from the image station when the first request is received by the means for receiving in the center.
According to the 20th aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image communication system comprising:
an image station;
a base station;
a mobile station to be connected with the base station;
a control station for controlling the system; and
a center for storing data,
wherein the base station comprises
means for determining whether a communication between the base station and the mobile station is available when the base station receives a call origination signal output from the image station, the call origination signal designating the mobile station, and
means for outputting a response signal indicating that the communication between the base station and the mobile station is not available to the control station, when the means for determining determines that the communication between the base station and the mobile station is not available,
the control station comprises
means for receiving the response signal indicating that the communication between the base station and the mobile station is not available from the base station, and
means for outputting an instruction for storing an image data in the center to the center when the response signal indicating that the communication between the base station and the mobile station is not available is received by the means for receiving, and
the center comprises
means for receiving the instruction for storing the image data in the center from the control station, and
means for storing the image data transmitted from the image station when the instruction is received by the means for receiving.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out hereinafter.